Remember the planning officer and planning committee may have a lot of letters to read so put a summary of your objections first then expand each one in the body of your letter.
Remember every letter counts. The more sent / the more effective
HOW TO RESPOND:
Look at the planning application yourself – remember all the documents from professionals will have summaries, so don’t be put off.
Visit the site – go down Back Lane and the footpath from the School to Harrison and have a look – take some pictures, if you are inspired, to include in the response. Pictures tell a story.
The main planning reasons for objection are:
Negative effects on amenity (neighbours and community) particularly due to
- Noise
- Disturbance
- Overlooking and loss of privacy
- Nuisance
- Shading/loss of daylight
(do you live near – are you directly affected)
- Over development (or overcrowding of the site) particularly where the proposal is out of character with the area. (The proposal is outside the village development boundary)
- Negative/adverse visual impact of the development – particularly on the landscape or locality (building on a green field in the High Weald AONB)
- Detrimental effect of proposed development on the character of the local area (building on a green field in High Weald AONB – Groombridge has not been zoned for development since 1987)
- Any design issues in the plan that concern you, particularly if the AONB design requirements have been ignored. (Found on High Weald website)
- Highway safety (whilst you normally need technical input on this matter – have you had a near miss on Station Road – do you have webcam evidence – have you been in danger when walking along Station Road (photographic evidence) – do you use Back Lane because there is only a single width and no pavement on Station Road)
YOU DO NOT HAVE TO HAVE CONCERNS ABOUT ALL OF THESE MATTERS, JUST THOSE YOU CAN WRITE ABOUT AND WORRY YOU.
If you have objections about any of these send them in a letter to Wealden.
- Write your letter, as soon as you can but it must be within the time set out in the planning application. Any letter either written before the application or after the final date for objections will not count.
- Make sure you put your name and address on your letter to be counted.
- The best way to send your letter to Wealden is by accessing the planning portal on Wealden website:
https://planning.wealden.gov.uk/
Put in the relevant number. There is a section in the planning application to send your objections. Write them separately and attach the document or you are limited to the number of words you can use.
If you can’t do that then send it by post to:
Wealden Council Offices
Planning Department,
Vicarage Ln
Hailsham
BN27 2AX
REMEMBER PERSONAL MATTERS DO NOT COUNT – KEEP IT FACTUAL.
There are lots of help guides online but we would recommend the following:
CAMPAIGN FOR THE PROTECTION OF RURAL ENGLAND
HIGH WEALD AREA OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY